To A. M. Kollontai. March 5, 1917
А. М. КОЛЛОНТАЙ. 5 МАРТА 1917 г.
Date: 1917-03-05
Source: ru:PSS/v49
Translated by: AI (Claude)

I am sure you are doing a great deal. I would like to rally, unite the left in helping the Swedes at such a difficult moment of their life. Would it be possible to organize for this in Christiania, Copenhagen and Stockholm a group of Russian Bolsheviks and leftists who know Swedish and can help? To divide the work: to collect the main documents and articles (they sent me the polemic of Nerman with Mauritz Vastberg in "Politiken" 28, XI. 1916 on the theme "first the program, then the new party," but I could not understand it); to work out our theses to help them; to place a series of articles to help them. Swedes who can write in German, French or English could also enter such a group*.

In your opinion, is this possible or not? Is it worth fussing over this?

In my opinion, it is worth it, but from a distance, from the side, I, of course, am not in a position to judge. I only see and know in the firmest way that the question of the program and tactics of the new socialism, truly revolutionary Marxism, and not filthy Kautskyism, stands on the order of the day everywhere. This is evident both from S. L. P. and "The Internationalist" in America and from data about Germany (resolutions of the left 7. I. 1917) and about France (the brochure of the left in Paris: "Les socialistes de Zimmerwald et la guerre"**) etc.

In Denmark Trier and others would surely join the cause of creating a new, Marxist, party in Scandinavia; part of the Norwegian left too. The struggle with Branting and Co. is a serious matter: necessity should compel a more serious attitude to questions of theory and tactics of revolutionary Marxism.

In my opinion, the work of preparation for 12. V should be pushed vigorously and from three sides simultaneously: (1) assistance group, about which was spoken above; (2) groups of Scandinavian leftists: write a little article (in Swedish newspapers) about the necessity of founding such groups immediately to prepare the program and tactics for 12. V.

* What kind of figure is Lindhagen? "Socialist-Revolutionary"? "Narodnik"? "Radical-socialist"? Hervé?
** — "The Socialists of Zimmerwald and the War." Ed.

(3) — the third interests me especially not because this is the most important (more important is initiative from within), but because we can help here. If, for example, you now, having reviewed the main literature of the left and right in Sweden, sketched on the basis of it theses of this kind:

theoretical (programmatic) and practical (tactical) disagreements
defense of the fatherland;
concept of imperialism;
character of the war;
disarmament;
social-pacifism;
the national question;
revolution;
"mass actions";
civil war;
attitude to trade unions;
opportunism and struggle with it
etc.

Each thesis should include (a) what the left in Sweden said (the "essence") about this; (b) the right there as well. On the basis of this, taking into account the position of the left in Russia, Germany, America (the main countries in this respect), we could work out our theses and, having published them in Swedish, help the Swedes conduct preparation for 12. V. Some main passages from the most important resolutions and articles of the right and left wing in Sweden should be translated for this into Russian or German, or French, or English.

In essence, morally and politically we are all responsible for the Swedish youth and must help them. Your position is extremely favorable for such help. Write immediately what you think about this.

This letter, perhaps, would be useful to forward to Lyudmila together with your considerations.

I shake your hand firmly and wish you every success.

Yours, Lenin

to Christiania (Oslo)

+
dicta-
torship of the prole-
tariat

Sent from Zurich
First published in 1924
in Lenin Miscellany II
Printed according to the manuscript